Corn-harvester.



PATENTED FEB. 13, 1906.

J. F. LEBPER. CORN HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1905.

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L F. LEEPBR.

CORN HARVBSTE'R. APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1905.

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PATENT oFFIcE.

JOHB F. LEEPER, OF ALTON, ILLINOIS.

CORN-HARVESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1906.

Application filed May 29, 1905. Serial No. 262,784.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN F. LEEPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alton, in the county of Madison and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Harvesters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in corn-harvesters; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is.a top plan view of the machine with parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation thereof, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the rear end of the machine.

The present invention is an improvement on the construction of corn-harvester shown and described in United States Letters Patent issued to me under date of November 17, 1903, No. 744,571, and has for its object to simplify the construction by which theremoval of the cornstalks is effected by the drivinggear of the machine, the dumping cradle of the patented device being herein omitted.

A further object is to provide suitable means for guiding and feeding the cornstalks to the cutters so as to insure'uniformity in results.

A further object is to improve the machine inminor details, the advantages of which will be better apparent from a detailed description of the invention, which is as follows:

Referring to the drawings, A represents a platform mounted on runners B, adapted to be drawn between two adjacent rows of corn. Disposed along one side of the harvester and inclined to the longitudinal axis thereof is a member 1, which at the forward end is supported by a post 2, secured to the laterallyprojecting stationary blade 3, carried by the platform, the rear end of the member 1 being supported by a bracket 4, secured to one of the runners B. Disposed across the harvester and secured at one end tothe member 1 are a series of transverse members 5, curving toward the opposite side of the machine, their opposite ends being secured to the adjacent runner B, Fig. 3. These members 5 are arranged in pairs and serve to support the perforated plates 6, which collectively constitute or form the depositing-surface for the cut corn. The lower curved ends of the members 5 encompass the longitudinally-disposed rockshaft 7, the forward end of the latter being supported in the boss or bearing 8, formed in the shield 9, carried by the platform immediately rearward of the drivers seat S, the rear end of said rock-shaft 7 being supported in a bracket 10, secured to the runner B on that side of the machine. passing that the rear edge of the rear plate 6 is supported on a flat transverse member 5, whose end loosely embraces the shaft 7, and it may be further remarked that the members 5 may be of any cross-section, the angle-iron form being specially desirable to support the plates 6. The bracket 10 connects with the terminal transverse member 5 of the machine.

The forward end of the rock-shaft is provided with a crank-arm 11, normally held depressed by a spring 12, coupled at one end thereto and at its opposite end to a pin 13 on the runner B. Pivotally coupled to the arm 11 is a link 14, whose upper end is loosely connected to the end of the adjacent arm of a tripping-lever 15, pivoted in a bearing 16 on the platform, the opposite arm of the lever being provided with a foot-rest or pedal 17 for the driver. arm of the lever is coupled to a link 18, which is pivotally connected to a clutch-lever 19, pivoted to the lug 20 on top of the platform, the lever 19 extending a suitable distance beneath the platform, Fig. 2. The lower end of the lever 19 controls the movable clutch member 21, which latter (upon proper oscillation of the lever 19) cooperates with the stationary clutch member 21, forming the hub portion of the sprocket-Wheel 22, mounted at the rear end of the longitudinal shaft 23. The forward end of the shaft 23 carries a bevel-pinion 24, which meshes with a bevel-gear 25, formed with the wheel W at one end of the axle 26. The opposite Wheel \V has a similar bevel-gear 25, meshing with a pinion 24 at one end of a parallel shaft 23, the rear end of the latter carrying the crankarm 27, which actuates the connecting-rod 28,

directly connected to the reciprocating knifeblade 29. This latter feature is, however,

It may be stated in The end of the short similar to my patented device, and I make no claim thereto in the present application.

Leading from the sprocket-wheel 22 is a chain 30, which passes under the member 1, over a sprocket-wheel 31 on an exterior longitudinal shaft 32, mounted in brackets 33, carried by the runner This shaft 32 is provided with sprocket-wheels 34 35, from which lead chains (or belts) 36 37, the latter being disposed on either side of one of the plates 6- and in the space between two adjacent plates 6, the opposite ends of the chains passing over sprocket-wheels 38 39, whose hubs are loosely mounted on the rock-shaft 7, about which they are free to rotate. The chains are provided with arms 40, which, as subsequently to be explained, advance the corn deposited on the depositing-surface and dump the same off from the side of the machine. The rock-shaft 7 is provided with arms 41 to temporarily support the cornstalks on the machine before they are dumped.

Rotatable with the wheel W and located on the side opposite to the gear-wheel 25 is a bevel-gear 42, which engages a pinion 43, whose shaft is mounted at one end of an inclined bracket 44, cast with the standards 45 46. The pinion-shaft is provided with a sprocket-wheel 47, from which passes a chain (or belt) 48 over a sprocket-wheel 49 at the upper end of the bracket 44. This chain 48 is provided with a series of feed-arms 50, which as the chain travels feed the cornstalks to the cutters, the parts revolving, as shown by the arrows in the drawings. The gathering-hooks 51 52 are the same as in my patent above referred to.

The operation of theharvester may be described as follows: As the machine advances rocated, as alread indicated, and the cornstalks thuscut wil fall over on the depositing surface or plates 6. The rotation of the wheels W serves to rotate the bevel-gear 42, which from the connections described imparts the necessary travel to the feed-chain 48, thearms 50 of the latter feeding the cornstalks positively to the cutters. When the operator desires to dump the contents of the machine from the lower side of the depositing-surface, he places his foot on the pedal 17, this action depressing the short arm of the lever 15 and raising the long arm. The elevation of the long arm exerts a pull on the link 14, Fig. 3, thereby oscillating the arm 11 against the tension of the spring 12 and rocking the rock-shaft 7 in a direction to depress the arms 41. (See dotted position in Fig. 3.) The depression of the short arm of the lever 15 serves to pull on the link 18, thus tilting the clutch-lever 19 in a direction to force the clutch members 21 21. together. This action (it being remembered that the shaft-23 rotates with the advance of the machine over the field) at once sets into motion the chain 30, which in turn rotates the shaft 32. The

latter imparts motion to the chains 36 37,

Whose arms 40 shove the cornstalks along the plates 6 untilthey are dumped from the side of the machine over the now depressed arms 41, which latter have been swung out of the way of the advancing contents previously deposited on the plates 6. When the contents has been dumped, the operator simply removes his foot from the pedal, the spring 12 restoring the parts to their first position.

I may of course depart in a measure from the details here shown Without in any wise affecting the nature or spirit of my invention.

' Having described my invention, what I claim is' 1. In a harvester, a suitable platform, adapted to be advanced over the field, adepositing-surface for the cut material, a rockshaft having a series of arms for retaining the material on the surface on which it has been deposited, a series of belts disposed in proximity to the depositing-surface, arms carried by the belts and projecting beyond'the surface, suitable running-wheels for the machine, and intermediate gearing under the control of the operator for periodically setting the belts into motion and rocking the shaft to a releasing position for the arms carried thereby, substantially as set forth.

2. In a harvester, a suitable-platform, a depositing-surface at the receiving side thereof inclining downward toward the, discharging side, a longitudinally-disposed rock-shaft at the-discharging side of the machine, a rotatable shaft parallel to the rock-shaft at the opposite side of the machine, a series of transverse belt conveyers disposed between the shafts, arms formed on the conveyers and projecting beyond the depositing-surface, running-wheels for the machine, an operating-lever under the control -of the operator,

and intermediate connections to simultaneously impart motion to the belt conveyers and rock the rock-shaft to a releasing position, the parts operating substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a harvester, a suitable platform, a series of cutters,a permanently-advancing feed belt or chain for the stalks fed to the cutters, a transversely-disposed belt conveyer, means for'setting the same intermittently into action for removing the contents from the side of. the machine, substantially as set forth.

4. In a harvester, a depositing-surface for the cut material, a platform, running-wheels therefor, bevel-gears on said wheels, pinions meshing with the gears, parallel shafts leading from the pinions, suitable cutters, intermediate connections between the latter and one of the shafts, a controllin -lever, a clutch member on one of the para lel shafts con trolled by the depression of the controlling- IIO lever, a belt conveyer for removing the contents deposited on the machine, intermediate connections between the conveyer and the clutch member for imparting motion to the conveyer upon depression of the controlling-lever, devices for temporarily retaining the material in position on the machine and means coupled to the controlling-lever for shifting the retaining devices and thereby releasin the contents upon the removal 1c thereof y the conveyer, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN F. LEEPER.

Witnesses:

EMIL STAREK,

MARY D. WHITCOMB. 

